Turning the Page December 2019

Time to turn the page on our calendars to a new month.

I make calendars each year for my desk and my family.

I thought I'd set up a regular post on the last day of each month to share them.

I hope you enjoy my “Turning the Page” posts.

Here's our December page.

Oh, my, how fast this year has gone by!

By the way, the calendars are clipped together and can be displayed on an easel

or hung on a push pin or magnetic hook.  We all have a different way to display them.

Time to do a new calendar!

If you would like a word document with the calendar, email me

and I will be glad to send it to you so you can design your own.

Email link is on the sidebar.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Frosty Joy for Jingle Belles

Hello.  I'm so glad  you stopped by!

Jingle Belles has challenged us to make a Christmas card
inspired by their beautiful header.

I used a NBUS die and cut this beautiful border from some
Stampin' Up sparkle paper.  It looks silver in the photo but it's a very sparkly white.

The Joy comes with the die and I cut it at the same time.

I glued it on a piece of Neenah embossed with my favorite Kars Snowflake folder.

This was such an easy card. I should have made several!


Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  

Ink:   

Paper:   Neenah, Sparkle Glimmer (SU)

Other:  Bold Borders Flurries Die (PTI), Kars Snowflake EF (ret. Cuttlebug)

Happy Thanksgiving

Hello friends.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

Today is a special day for us in the US.
My family will be together for lots of good food and
a fun time together.

Background is a piece of smooshed Lindy's Magicals Powders that's been stamped
with a maple leaf and heat embossed with gold.

I stamped again on a snippet of gold foil, heat embossed and fussy cut. 
I added some shaping and popped it on with dimensionals.

Now for that turkey!
Gobble, gobble!

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Magnificent Maple (ret. SU), Thanksgiving (Northwoods)

Ink:   Encore Gold

Paper:   Neenah Natural, Very Vanilla, Gold Foil (SU), Watercolour (Strathmore)

Other:  Gold EP, Lindy's Magicals (Cattail Copper Brown, Red Hot Poker Orange, Autun Maple Crimson, Tibetan Poppy Teal, Blingy Blonde), Stitched Squares Die (SSS), Subtle EF (SU)

Winter Scene for Rudolph Days

Hi there.  I'm so glad you could stop by!

It's the last challenge of this year for Rudolph Days.

One of the highlights of this year was spending time in Vancouver with some crafty friends.
While we were there, Maureen, of Rudolph Days, stopped by for lunch and a visit.
She is as lovely in person as I thought she'd be.  She brought several die cuts to share with us.
This is the last of what I brought home.  Thank you Maureen!

I've placed the layers on an alcohol inked background with green and lots of silver mixative.

To add a festive touch, I spread some Dazzling details all over the trees and ground.

It's very sparkly!


Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps: Mixed Christmas Sentiments (HLS) 

Ink:   Wow Emb. pad

Paper:   Neenah, Photo

Other:  Die (???), Pewter EP, Alcohol Ink, Dazzling Details

Santa Merry Christmas

Hello friends.  I'm so glad you stopped by.

It's been a rainy weekend in North Carolina.  I'm not complaining because we

need the rain and it was a good excuse to stay inside and craft.

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #24 is

Show us Your Santas!

I immediately thought of this Santa stamp.
He's one of my favorites and hadn't been used this year.

He's been stamped with Versafine ink and colored with
colored pencils.  Sorry, I didn't note the colors this time.

I found a couple of sparkly snowflakes to pop over the snowflakes
in the stamped design and added some Crystal Glaze to his spectacles.


Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Santa Collage (Rubber Stampede), Scribbly Christmas (TH)

Ink:   Versafine Onyx Black

Paper:   Basic Black, Whisper White, Silver Glitter (SU)

Other:  Colored Pencils, Clear EP, Wink of Stella, Nuvo Crystal Glaze, Kars Snowflall EF (retired Cuttlebug), Snowflake Punch

Bell and Berries Tag Card

Hi there. I'm so glad you stopped by!

There's lots of gorgeous Christmas tags all over Blogland!

But I took this a step further and cut another, scored it near the top and 

made it into a card.

The design was done in the MISTI inking the leaves and berries with

Distress Markers.

The bell was inked with Encore gold ink and heat embossed with

gold embossing powder.

You can see the shine better below.

I'm entering at Penny Black Saturday Challenge

Anything Goes'...Optional 'Tags

and

Penny Black and More

******Christmas******

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Bell and Berries, Festive Snippets (PB)

Ink:  Peeled Paint, Faded Jeans, Festive Berries, Barn Door, Gathered Twigs (DI and DM), Encore Gold

Paper:   Mixed Media, Neenah

Other:  Pinpoint Main Street Tags (PS), Gold EP, Gold Cord

Christmas Twofer

Hi there.  I'm so glad you could drop by!

It's been a dreary, rainy day here.  A perfect day for crafting.

This month's Twofer Challenge has a twist.

Please note! This month we have a Twist! We are forgoing the "for two different occasions" element of the badge so if you want, you can make two Christmas (or other holiday) cards! 

I've taken advantage of the twist and made two different Christmas cards
using the same die.

First up

I loved the colors of the Inspired By Challenge

and used them for the first card.

and then I went more traditional with my twofer.

I used a NBUS die by Catherine Pooler called Joy Wreath

and used my fairly new Arteza TwiMarkers and a waterbrush to color

the die cuts.  It was so much fun!

I used two wreaths for the first card and three layers of the Joy.

For the second card, I used one wreath and cut it in half adding a 

fir branch die from another set and the Star on a String.

The outside of the star was cut from a repurposed metallic envelope and

I watercolored the star with the same marker I used on the berries.

I used two more NBUS dies on the second card too and stamps

that hadn't been inked up before.

I'm thinking that with Christmas coming soon, I don't want

Santa to peek in my NBUS pile and think I can't possibly want anything else!

So I'm determined to get that pile down some.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe (card 1)

Stamps: Merry Up (PB) 

Ink:   Pool Party (SU)

Paper:  Mixed Media, Pool Party, Neenah

Other:  Joy Wreath Dies (CP), Subtle EF (SU), Arteza TwiMarkers (Spearment Blue, Sage Green, Olive, Army Brown, Aurora Pink, Raspberry Red), Waterbrush

Card Recipe (card 2)

Stamps:  Merry Up (PB)

Ink:   Shaded Spruce (SU)

Paper:   Mixed Media, Neenah, Repurposed Envelope

Other: Joy Wreath Die (CP), Holiday Greens Mini Die (TH), Star on a String Die (Frantic Stamper), Wood Planks EF (SU), Arteza TwiMarkers (Sage Green, Olive Green, Pine Green, Bumblebee Yellow, Ruby Red, Army Brown), Waterbrush

Cozy Winter Birds for CAS Christmas

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by.

There's still time to get warm and cozy for Trina's challenge at CAS Christmas.
This is our last challenge at CAS Christmas for 2019!
We'll be taking the month of December off.

I've done a no-line watercolor on these little guys that are all bundled up
and cuddled together.

First I stamped the image with Shadow Gray Archival ink.
Then I've picked up ink that's been smooshed on my palette to color
the scene.  Finally, I've used the wet on wet technique to
color in the background, die cut and popped up on foam to the card front.

Their hats are winked with Stella and there's some sparkly paste on the
branch to look like snow.  While the sparkle paste was still wet, I
sprinkled some Dazzling Diamonds over top.

I'll hope you'll check out the challenge and see what our fabulous Design Team

and our Guest Designer Bobby have done to inspire  you.

Then join us with your warm and cozy CAS Christmas card at

CAS Christmas.

Also adding to Jingle Belles Challenge

Baby, It's Cold Outside

and Christmas Kickstart Challenge #23

SNOW

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Winter Birds (Stampendous), Merry Up (PB)

Ink:   Archival Shadow Gray (Ranger), Versafine Smokey Gray, Pumice Stone, Vvintage Photo, Pine Needles, Peeled Paint, Evergreen Bough, Abandoned Coral, Twisted Citron, Wild Honey (DI & DM)

Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 400 series), Neenah 

Other: Kars Snowflake EF (ret. Cuttlebug), Double Stitched Circles Die (Lil' Inker), osmic Shimmer Sparkle Paste, Dazzling Diamonds (SU), WOS

Social Butterfly Blues

Hello friends.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

There's still time to play at CAS Watercolour.

This month Karen is our host and she's chosen...

I pulled out a background piece that had been done with Brushos.

After placing this butterfly stamp in my Misti, I inked it up, spritzed with water

and stamped.  My waterbrush came in handy to move the ink around a bit

before I stamped again.

For a little added interest, I inked a floral stamp with an ink similar

to the background and stamped that a couple times without re-inking.

The butterfly looked too stark to me so I went over the body

with a chalk writer.  That's why the body is a bit lighter.

Unfortunately I was in need of a sympathy card so

I stamped a sympathy sentiment on a piece of the background

that I'd cut off.

Then because I wasn't ready to stop, I added some dots with

a white gel pen.

Sometimes I have to tell myself to quit!

I hope you'll check out the challenge and see what our fabulous Design Team

and our Guest Designer Birgit have done to inspire  you.

Then join us with your monochromatic CAS card at

CAS Watercolour.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Social Butterfly, At Grace (PB), Every Day Sayings (HA)

Ink:   Bashful Blue, Dapper Denim (SU)

Paper:   Watercolor (Arches Cold Press), Neenah

Other:  Subtle EF (SU), Rainstones (PTI), Chalk Writer (SU), White Gel Pen

Maple, Maple

Hi there.

There's still time to play at CAS Mix Up.

Using Oxidized Metal Technique, Re-inkers, Heat Embossing, Botanical Printing, Stamping and Die Cutting.

Susan has challenged us to use this technique

 I kept trying and finally found success with that first video.
You can find it here.

I used a piece of gold foil cardstock, added some drops of water then some drops
of re-inkers.  I used orange and red so I could make a maple leaf.

After it was dry, I covered the piece with clear embossing powder and heated it.

I used a damp paper towel to wipe off excess ink and then coated it
again and heated.

For the background, I went in the yard and picked a maple leaf off the tree,
put it between two pieces of watercolor paper, folded a piece of printer paper around it,
and ran it through the Big Shot.  The picture doesn't show it well, but the edges
of the leaf have a bit of pink.  I was so happy to see that little bit of color transferred.

I used Cajun Craze to stamp the sentiment then stamped over it with Cherry Cobbler.
I loved the way the mix of the colors came out.

I hope you'll give this technique a try (or one of the other videos CAS Mix Up).
I'm really glad I didn't give up!

This is our last challenge for 2019!



Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Happy Fall (Verve: OOB)

Ink:   Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler (SU)

Paper:   Watercolor (Strathmore), Gold Foil (SU)

Other: SU  Re-inkers (Cajun Craze, Poppy Parade, Regal Rose), Clear EP, Maple Leaf Die (Lawn Fawn), Real Maple Leaf, Big Shot

Oxidized Copper

Hello friends.  I'm glad you stopped by!

Here's another angle.

In my quest for a decent 'oxidized metal' card, I thought of a NBUS jar of

embossing powder in my stash. The name of it is Verdigris.  When I checked

the definition, I saw it's a word for oxidation of copper.

Sooo, I pulled out a piece of thin copper sheet and die cut it in the shape

of a maple leaf.  I patted a little Wow embossing pad over the top and

heat embossed with the Verdigris powder.

I used the same technique to add some Aged Gold embossing powder and

while it was still hot, sprinkled a little more of the Verdigris.

It's hard to see the forest of trees embossed behind the leaf.  I had a 

devil of a time getting a decent photograph!

There's still time share a card with oxidized metal at 

CAS Mix Up.

This technique is so good for masculine cards!

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Fun Birthday Sentiments (HLS)

Ink:   WOW Embossing Pad

Paper:   Shaded Spruce (SU), Neenah Classic Natural

Other:  Copper Sheet (Art Emb.), Verdigris EP (Ranger), Aged Gold EP (Stampendous), Gold EP, Subtle EF (SU)

Fabulous Fall Birthday

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

I've used this fabulous Flowers of the Fall stamp again.

This time I've put it in circles on a bit of textured cardstock.

I did some scored stripes on the sides and embossed a sentiment.

I'm not sure if this is what they're looking for at
The Flower Challenge.
You can barely see the stripes in the photo.

I'll add this to the gallery at

Seize the Birthday

I'm not adding toppings this time.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Flowers of the Fall (Unity), Heartfelt (PB)

Ink:   Whisper White (Brushed Corduroy, Crushed Olive, Spiced Marmalade, Abandoned Coral, Shaded Lilac, Dusty Concord, Picked Raspberry (Distress Markers)

Paper:   Neenah, Dusty Durango Textured (ret. SU)

Other:  Stitched Shapes Dies (SU), 2 1/2" Circle Punch

What's in Your Cup for CAS Stencil

Hi there.  Are you ready for the weekend?

H

I sponged some Real Red ink through a stencil.

When I removed the stencil, I spritzed with some water and laid it

on a piece of Mixed Media paper and pressed down.

This created a stencil monoprit that looks like a warm and cozy

sweater or afghan.

It's been paired up with a cup colored with red re-inker dropped

onto a wet die cut cup.  I've filled the cup with some hot cappuccino

and a healthy helping of whipped cream. 

(Whipped cream is healthy isn't it?)

CAS Stencil

Also for CAS Christmas

and for CAS Watercolour

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Peaceful Pines (SU)

Ink:   Real Red (SU)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore), Watercolor for cup (Arches Cold Press) for card front (Strathmore), Dazzling Diamond Glimmer (SU),

Other:  Holiday Knit Stencil (TH), Double Stitched Circles Die (Lil' Inker), What's in Your Cup Dies  (PB), Real Red Re-inker.

Rudolph for Jingle Belles

Hello there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

This beautiful reindeer was a gift from a sweet friend.  He'd been waiting
patiently in my NBUS box to make his debut.

The gals at Jingle Belles gave me a perfect excuse to get him out
as they are asking for  Rudolph and Friends.

He looks like he might be checking the weather while he's
practicing his prancing!

The trees and stenciled snow were already on this piece.
It was a happy find!

I placed the background in my MISTI and inked Rudolph several times
adding more color to some spots.

The stenciled snow acted as a resist.
I wish the picture showed the sparkle of the snow coming down.

I'm also going to enter this at Craft Stamper Magazine's
Take It Make It Challenge
where it's anything goes with stamping.

(I'm pleased as punch to say that this card
won over there last month.)


Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Reindeer Clear Stamps (Westrim Crafts), Tree (Seaside Stamps), Merry Up (PB)

Ink:   Antique Linen (DI), Brushed Corduory, Mowed Lawn, Candied Apple (DM), Basic Gray (SU), Versafine Onyx Black

Paper:   Watercolor (Arches 140 lb. cold press), Basic Black, Whisper White (SU)

Other: